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R. LARTER. Clothes Line and Clamp.

No. 226,235. Patented April 6,1880.

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llmrnn STATES I ROBERT LARTER, OF EAST ORANGFL ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF OF HIS RIGHT TO BERNARD BLOEMEKE, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

CLOTHES LINE AND CLAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 226,235, dated April 6, 1880.

Application filed August 13, 1879.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT LARTER, of East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Combined Clothes Line and Clamp; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof.

I make the parts of metal, in sections engaged flexibly together. The novelty consists in the construction of the sections forming the device, as will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

One object of the invention is to provide a cheap and efficient clothes-line, easy of being positioned for service, convenient for transit, and quickly and easily taken in and stored.

Another object of the invention is to combine with a metal clothes-line made in sections, and having the advantages above described, a clothes-clamp at each joint adapted to conveniently hold and liberate the clothes to be dried. The ends of each piece are bent to form a locking portion adapted to interlock with its fellow.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification, and represent what I con-' sider the best means of carrying out the invention.

Figure l is a perspective view, showing ad- 0 jacent ends of two sections. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, showing the operation of the clothesclamp. Fig. 3 represents a view in which the rubber face is omitted, and Fig. 4 shows a view in which the rubber is omitted and male 3 5 and female bearing-faces are provided.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, A represents the body of a section of wire, bent downward and 40 inward or slightly returning upon itself, as shown at a, and then again extended outward past the corresponding arm on the adjacent piece, as shown at a, and then downward, as shown at A, and formed at the lower end to present a bearing-face, A B represents another section of wire, (the fellow of that shown and described as A,) having one end bent laterally and backward upon itself, as shown at b, and then extended outward past the arm a, as shown at b, and then downward, as

shown at 13. Its lower end is formed to present a bearing-race, B The entire arms on each correspond, as shown, so that the bearing-faces A B apply together. The bearing face A is concaved, as shown, and lined with 5 rubber G. The other face, 13 being a little smaller, imprints itself in the rubber and holds the clothes strongly yet gently.

On raising the joint or entire junction of the two sections the construction causes the lower ends, A B to separate, while the parts a 11 remain engaged. The latter form a lock, on which the arms A B, by the raising and lowering of the joint, are caused to open and close as required. The arms are so bent and applied that the tension induced by the gravity of the clothes, or by any lateral force, as wind, holds the bearing-pieces A 13 firmly to gether, yet so as to allow the jaws to be easily opened by simply raising the whole.

Various modifications may be made in form without departing from the principle of my invention.

The sections may be made of brass or any proper material that will not corrode, and of any desired length. Both bearing-faces may be faced with rubber.

The sections may be sold singly or in quantities, each of say, one foot in length, so that a purchaser wishing a line of forty feet length would call for forty pieces, while a party wishing but half that quantity would ask for half that number, each applying them properly together as he puts them up. These sections are adapted-to serve in any numbers from two upward.

To open the jaw of the clamp it is only necessary to elevate the joint between two connected sections. In Fig. 2 one joint is shown so opened. I

In harness shops or liverystables, where oiled leather straps are to be held between the clamps, for cleaning, treating, 8470., a sharp male puncturing device may be placed on one or both faces.

I claim as my invention 1. A clothes-line formed in sections interlocked together, with an arm extending rigidly downward from the adjacent end of each, and forming clamping-jaws, so that the elevation I00 of the joint will open the jaw, and the deterloeking ends and pendent clamping-arms, pression and tension of the joint, by the gravsaid arms pro ided with holding-faces, as and ity of the load, will close the jaw and hold the for the purpose set forth. article grasped between, all substantially as In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 5 herein set forth. my hand this 11th day of August, 1879, in the 15 2. A clothes-line formed of interlocking; and presence of two subscribing witnesses. detachable sections A B, provided with clalnp- ROBT. LARTER. ing devices A B on downward-extending Vitnesses: arms A B, and integral therewith, as set forth. CHARLES C. STETSON, 1o 3. A clothes-line made in sections, with in- \VM. 0. DEY. 

